Album

Capriccio's 2005 SACD of Béla Bartók's Piano Concerto No. 1, the Piano Concerto No. 2, and the concert suite from the ballet The Miraculous Mandarin is, with few reservations, one of the finest releases of the year, not only in its great sound quality, which will thrill audiophiles, but in its performance values as well. The depth of the sound and range of the orchestra's dynamics are definitely what should be expected of the much-touted hybrid SACD, 5.1 multichannel technology, and DSD processing, which combine to make these performances sound clean, three-dimensional, and practically lifelike. But once the amazing sound quality has been appreciated, the listener is inevitably swept up in the intensely dramatic, percussive playing of pianist Zoltán Kocsis and the fantastic accompaniment provided by the Budapest Philharmonic Orchestra, directed by György Lehel. These performances are vigorous, propulsive, and driven, qualities that are de rigueur in Bartók's concertos, and Kocsis and Lehel provide muscular and forceful interpretations that are striking and memorable. Neville Marriner's performance of The Miraculous Mandarin Suite is equally gripping, and the Radio-Sinfonieorchester Stuttgart sounds even more powerful than the BPO. For a filler track, this performance is a real bonus, and a nice complement to the lean, muscular concertos for its lush orchestration and languorous melodies.

© Blair Sanderson, Rovi

CD 1
Béla Bartók Composer Piano Concerto No.1 in A, BB91, Sz.83 Work 22:35 Zoltán Kocsis Piano, Budapest Philharmonic Orchestra Orchestra, György Lehel Conductor
1	1.Allegro moderato	8:44			$1.49
2	2.Andante	6:37			$0.99
3	3.Allegro molto	7:14			$1.49
Béla Bartók Composer Piano Concerto No.2 in G, BB101, Sz.95 Work 28:45 Zoltán Kocsis Piano, Budapest Philharmonic Orchestra Orchestra, György Lehel Conductor
4	1.Allegro	9:42			$1.49
5	2.Adagio. Presto. Adagio	12:49			$1.99
6	3.Allegro molto	6:14			$0.99
Béla Bartók Composer The Miraculous Mandarin, Op.19a, BB82, Sz.73a (suite from pantomime) Work SWR Stuttgart Radio Symphony Orchestra Orchestra, Sir Neville Marriner Conductor, Zoltán Kocsis Piano
7	The Miraculous Mandarin, Op.19a, BB82, Sz.73a (suite from pantomime)	18:54			$2.99